Term 3 is well underway with a flurry of activity.

This week we honoured the history, culture and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with NAIDOC celebrations.

Year 12 Prefects initiated NEGS' participation in the Ponytail Project 2024. The project empowers individuals to make a difference in the lives of those impacted by cancer. A heartfelt thank you to all the students and staff who ‘rocked the chop’ and helped raise over $4,000.00. Your contributions have made a significant impact.

As the sports season begins, we wish all our students the best of luck in Round 1 of the IGSA Hockey and Netball games. Go NEGS! Your dedication and hard work are sure to shine through on the field.

We are excited to welcome students and staff from the China Pony Club next week. During the week they will be immersing themselves in our equestrian program while also experiencing classes in Art, English, Science, and Cooking. This cultural experience promises to be enriching for everyone involved.

A reminder to all students about the importance of homework, study, and preparation. Make the most of your teachers' expertise and use your student diaries effectively. Being fully engaged in classes, asking questions, noting down homework, and revising during Prep will make a significant difference in your academic success.

I look forward to celebrating the academic achievements of many of our students at Monday’s assembly. Let’s continue to strive for excellence together.

For parents of girls, enjoy reading the article from the International Coalition of Girls’ School below.

Top 10 Reasons to Choose a Girls’ School – ICGS (girlsschools.org)

Ms Liz van Genderen

Principal

In week 1 of Term, I had the pleasure of accompanying a group of students to Sydney for an excursion. What made it so special, was for the first time, we combined a Senior School Class (year 10) with our Stages 2 and 3 students from Junior School. Although we primarily ran separate programs, the students shared accommodation, meals and down time. Finally, a pair of Senior students was partnered with 4 or 5 Junior School students to complete a photo challenge at Taronga Zoo. This was a wonderful activity that built connection and community across the student cohort and this will be strengthened when these same students join up again in our Term 4 intensive swimming program.

Another highlight was the ability to incorporate 3 of the 6 key competencies associated with our new Learning and Teaching Framework. Through activities including challenges that were student-led, plus a visit to Wayside Chapel to participate in their education program, we asked the students to reflect on their ability to Collaborate, Communicate and to assess their Character (see attached learning progressions).

I would like to commend all students on an excellent week away and thank the supervising staff for giving their time to allow our students this great opportunity.

I wish all competing at IGSA this weekend the best of luck and encourage them to dig deep as they compete in multiple games over 2 days.

Mr Jamie Moore

Deputy Principal

After a brief hiatus, it is time to continue our journey through the NEGS Learning and Teaching Framework, with a particular focus on this Term’s school value of Excellence. My last article looked at the Quality Teaching ring, and how the school engages with the Quality Teaching Model and Quality Teaching Rounds. This brings us to the Evidence Based Practices ring.

This ring brings together headline foci from research conducted by the NSW Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation, in particular, their What Works Best research (which is also used as a foundation of the NSW School Excellence Framework). It also synthesises the research of John Hattie and his Visible Learning work, which brought together meta analyses of effectual interventions and strategies for schools. A summary of interventions and their efficacy can be seen here if you are interested. Lastly, it brings together a body of research on feedback from the Learning Sciences field, along with key school priorities around differentiation to support the achievement of all learners. In essence, this ring of the Framework is a synthesis of decades of research into the elements that drive student achievement.

High expectations are a given. If we want people to achieve, we need to believe that they can, and help them to do so. Accepting mediocrity leads to mediocre outcomes. Of course, what constitutes high expectations for one person may look very different to another person, but so long as we are striving for betterment, then we are seeking to achieve. In practice, this involves the use of high range marked samples with students, with everyday interactions that encourage students to strive, our Careers program, and with specific goal setting conducted by students in relation to their assessment. It’s about setting an aspirational culture of improvement, rather than students simply ‘doing the work’.

Goal setting and planning is all about working smarter, rather than simply harder. Performance is optimised when specific, achievable goals are the focus of one’s effort. In practice, this comes down to targeting specific course outcomes, skills and content in each subject, whilst striving towards the standards laid out in the Common Grade Scale, and from Year 10 upwards, the performance descriptors for each course. You can view the Course Performance Descriptors for Year 10 courses in the Stage 5 Assessment Guidelines provided in the Websites drop down list in Engage. Year 11 Performance Band Descriptors can be viewed in the Stage 6 Preliminary Assessment Guidelines in Engage, and Year 12 Performance Band Descriptors can also be viewed in the Stage 6 HSC Assessment Guidelines in Engage. These descriptors make clear the standard that students are asked to perform at for particular levels of achievement. In summary, the purpose of assessment is largely to inform processes of goal-setting and improvement, hence the focus on assessment for learning in this ring of the Framework.

Classroom routines are all about culture. Routines are the foundations on which notions of high expectations are built. A classroom should have an orderly and structured routine to optimise learning, ensure students feel safe and supported, and provide a platform for them to engage optimally in their learning. Simple things like beginning a lesson with explicit learning intentions and success criteria, creating routines for discussion and collaboration, and ‘hamburger’ structures that bring a lesson together with a summary at the end are all examples of the kinds of routines that support student learning. 

Explicit teaching is a phrase that tends to pop up in media reporting, and as such is bandied around in a manner that perhaps muddies the water as to what it actually means. Explicit teaching involves a teacher being explicit (i.e. stating clearly and in detail) the cognitive and procedural processes involved in completing a given task. A simple overview of this approach is captured in the pedagogical strategy of a Think Aloud, where the teacher (the expert) models the way an expert thinks about a particular problem for students (novices). In much the same way that an apprentice carpenter learns from a master craftsman, explicit teaching explicitly demonstrates to novices how to think more expertly. All NSW syllabuses and HSC examinations are underpinned by the NESA Key Words, and it is the modelling of these cognitions and how they apply in each subject that forms the core of explicit teaching.

Differentiation is about meeting the needs of each learner. It is the gold standard of instruction, precisely because it is difficult to achieve in the industrialised structures of schools and universities, which tend to focus on transmission models of knowledge from one expert to large groups of novices. At NEGS, we provide a different model by keeping our class sizes small, to ensure that every student is able to interact with their teachers in a more individualised way that supports their particular needs. 

Assessment for, as, and of learning characterises the purpose of assessment. For the most part, assessment is conducted to enable goal setting and improvement. Its purpose is to take a snapshot that enables a learner to target their efforts to improve in specific ways. Assessments are also conducted as learning experiences. A good example is a creative task in English. Students are taught language techniques and generic conventions, but it is the actual process of planning and writing a creative text that actually constitutes the bulk of the learning. We learn by doing, not by being passive receptors of knowledge, thus the completion of assessment tasks often forms the basis of encoding knowledge and skills into long-term memory. Of course, at a certain juncture, there is simply assessment of learning, which in NSW really means the HSC examination for each course.

Effective feedback dovetails into my earlier discussion of goal setting and assessment for learning. There exists an extensive body of research in the Learning Sciences on what constitutes effective feedback. In short, feedback should focus on process and strategy selection, rather than merely task-level specific feedback, such as a direction to add a comma, or start a new paragraph. In the context of an essay, there is greater impact in feedback that advises a student on strategies and procedures to plan an insightful thesis, or how to select appropriate substantiating evidence than, say, circling or highlighting technical errors in grammar. As a corollary, grammar is better addressed through feedback on proofreading strategies that a student can apply, rather than correcting specific errors. Essentially, a longer-term view of feedback for skill development is more impactful over time, but also focuses on cognitive processes about how to complete tasks, as per the discussion of explicit instruction earlier.

Data-informed practices and reflection is all about knowing one’s impact. The focus here is more on the teacher, and their knowledge of how each student is performing in key tasks and cognitions, such that they can alter their lessons and teaching foci to meet the needs of each learner. There are many sources of data, ranging from the qualitative information that teachers gather on each student through classroom observation and interaction, to more formalised quantitative data such as ACER testing, NAPLAN results, performance in assessment tasks, and student reflection and goal-setting data. Our teachers are reflective practitioners, and we have a range of systems and processes here at NEGS to support this objective, particularly through our Quality Teaching practices.

You may have picked up on a key theme as I’ve worked through the various foci in the Evidence Based Practices ring of our Learning and Teaching Framework – each focus is based on extensive research into what works in schools to support student achievement, hence the title: Evidence Based Practices. As members of the NEGS community, you can take great faith that our approach to supporting the learning of your child is reasoned, structured, and systematic, reflecting best practice in an educational institution.

Our Semester One Academic Awards Assembly is this coming Monday 5th August, and I am very much looking forward to celebrating the academic successes of our students with members of the NEGS community.

Lastly, a reminder that the Assessment Calendar for each year level is also available in the Websites drop down in Engage. These are updated each term, and allow members of our community to support the students in managing their time, scheduling revision, and preparing appropriately for each assessment task.

Kind regards,

Mr Ryan Caldwell

Director of Teaching and Learning/English Teacher

The start of a new term is always filled with a mix of excitement and anticipation. Students return with stories from their holidays, ready to reconnect with friends and dive into new topics. The classrooms buzz with energy as everyone settles into their routines, eager to tackle fresh challenges and explore new opportunities. Teachers too, bring a renewed enthusiasm, armed with creativity and innovative ideas to make learning engaging and fun. The corridors are alive with the sound of laughter and chatter, and the school community feels more vibrant than ever. It is a time of new beginnings, where every day holds the promise of discovery and growth.

Adding to this excitement was the Years 3-6 excursion to Sydney. This trip was an unforgettable experience, offering students a chance to explore the city’s rich history, vibrant culture, and iconic landmarks. From visiting state icons and historical sites, to enjoying collaborative tasks, the excursion provided a hands-on learning experience that complemented our students' classroom studies. The anticipation of this adventure added an extra layer of enthusiasm to the start of the term, making it a truly special time for everyone involved.

Students and teachers alike learn from these experiences, sometimes in unexpected ways. My ‘ah-ha’ moment came from hearing a quote during the coach ride home from the film we were viewing: 

“The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.”

This reminded me of the value of these experiences, the bravery of our students to embrace new opportunities and challenge themselves to step outside their comfort zone, taking risks.

Embracing Excellence in Learning Through Risk-Taking

Taking risks is often seen as a daunting prospect. However, it is through these very risks that students can achieve excellence in learning. Renowned educator and parenting expert, Maggie Dent, emphasises the importance of allowing children to take risks as a crucial part of their development. She advocates for a balanced approach where children are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones to foster resilience and adaptability.

The Role of Risk-Taking in Learning

Risk-taking in education is not about reckless behaviour, but about calculated risks that push the boundaries of traditional learning. When students are encouraged to try new things, even at the risk of failure, they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This approach aligns with Dent’s philosophy that children need opportunities to learn from their mistakes and grow stronger from them. By facing challenges head-on, students build confidence and a growth mindset, essential traits for lifelong learning.

The Importance of Excursions for Student Growth

Excursions play a pivotal role in this risk-taking framework. They provide students with real-world experiences that cannot be replicated in a classroom setting. According to educational research, excursions enhance learning by offering hands-on experiences, fostering curiosity, and encouraging active participation. These trips allow students to explore new environments, cultures, and ideas, contributing significantly to their overall growth and development. They can broaden students’ worldviews and enhance their social skills, helping them connect knowledge with practical applications.

Maggie Dent’s Insights on Risk and Resilience

Maggie Dent’s work underscores the importance of resilience in children’s education. She believes that by allowing children to take risks in a supportive environment, we prepare them for the complexities of the real world. Her insights are particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world, where adaptability and resilience are key to success.

Excellence in learning is often achieved through the willingness to take risks. By embracing this approach, we can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that prepares students for future challenges. Incorporating excursions into the curriculum is just one way we enrich this experience, providing students with the opportunity to learn and grow beyond the confines of the classroom.

Mrs Heidi Dent

Junior School CoOrdinator/Year 6 Teacher

Term 3 is filled with a lot of sport, kicking off the first few weeks with hockey and netball winter competitions and preparations for both IPSHA and IGSA Athletics carnivals, IGSA Hockey and Netball games and our Friday rugby competition. I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing the students strive for success in all areas of sport at NEGS. 

Sport at NEGS provides the opportunity to develop character, improve integrity, encourage teamwork and create everlasting values. I am extremely passionate about sport and in a sporting environment it is so important for all athletes to embrace these values so they can reach their full potential. 

Rugby

Fantastic season of rugby this year. Many new and experienced players joined us this season. Our players showed great enthusiasm for the game and we saw great development in our players. Our experienced players stepped up and supported the many new players who have joined us. Looking forward to the continued growth of the NEGS Rugby Club.

We have had great successes in rugby this past term, special mentions to: 

Regan Simpson who was selected into the following Representative teams; NSW Waratahs Northern Rugby Union Academy, Central North Rugby Union Captain, NSW Country Rugby Union team 2024, IGSA Rugby 7s Team 2024, NSWCIS Rugby 7s Team 2024, NSWCIS Rugby League Team. 

Bonnii Porter; NSW Country Rugby Union U18s Squad, NSW CIS 18s Rugby League Team, Australian Raptors rugby Academy squad to tour Spain.

Zahlie Cabot; NSW Country Rugby Union U18s Squad, Australian Raptors Rugby Academy squad to tour Spain.

Pollyanna McCarthy; NSW JRU U18 XV's Girls Barbarians Team.

Lily Kennelly; Central North U18s Girls, Sunshine Coast Bunyas Rugby league, QLD REDS indigenous development programme.

Upcoming Rugby Gala Day - Wednesday 14th August (UNE)

Swimming 

Sasha Scott-Hamilton competed at the 2024 NSW State Country Short Course Championships - Well done Sasha for her PB in 50 metre butterfly. Sasha also attended the Performance Clinic at the Parramatta Aquatic Centre in the holidays. Great work Sasha, keep it up. 

Mrs Ella Kenny

Director of Sport and Activities

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to all our boarding families, both new and returning. We have generally had a good start to the beginning of term and I would encourage all the girls to continue to put kindness first in all their words and deeds. We know this makes a more enjoyable environment for everyone. I would also like to remind everyone that change can be positive, stimulating and exciting with the right frame of mind. I would like to encourage a joyous and grateful attitude to all the positive change we are currently experiencing in boarding at NEGS.

Over the holiday break we have managed an amazing amount of change in Kirkwood House, the foyer, main common room and most of the lower North corridor have been repainted. We also managed to finish carpeting the rest of the upper floor so both the North and West wings now sport new flooring. All the showerheads and taps in both the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms have been replaced and new beds have been ordered for the rest of the House. We still have a large amount of work to do but the progress has been astonishing. I really hope your daughters’ have noticed and appreciated the change. I would also like to ask families to support the school when it comes to dealing with damages to our new and refurbished facilities. If your daughter is responsible for damage to or graffiti in her room, we will inform you immediately and the cost of the repairs will be added to parent’s school accounts. Please remind your daughter’s that they should respect school property in the same way that they would respect their (and your) home.

It is also an exciting/stressful term for our Year 12 students who no doubt feel like they are hurtling toward their HSC. To show them our support we encourage all the other students to be considerate, to be helpful and quiet when asked to do so. Please be aware that the Library will be used a lot this term for study and that in the House there will be times when the younger students may be asked to keep the volume down for a short period of time now and then.

We also welcome Mrs Jenn Woodley Smith into our boarding family. Jenn is a NEGS Old Girl and so are her three daughters. We also welcome three new GAP students from Germany. Alena, Jette and Maja, who will be staying a year and we are very much looking forward to having them with us.

With such an excellent start to the term there is a great deal to be grateful for, let’s spend this term focusing on positivity and encouraging our students to strive for continual improvement. Most importantly, let’s embrace all the changes and be enthusiastic for Term 3.

Mrs Kassy Cassidy

Head of Boarding

Read this week's Careers Newsletter HERE.

Mr Mark Ambrose

Careers Advisor/Business Studies Teacher

'The Koalas' documentary.

The opening night is August 2nd at 6:30pm at the Armidale Belgrave Cinema.

To purchase tickets: https://www.belgravecinema.com.au/movie/the-koalas 

Kindly Animal Sanctuary is the grateful recipient of a portion of the ticket sales for this film.

Kindly will also have a stall at the cinema event with merchandise, information AND 2 Maremma livestock guardian puppies for people to meet and learn about.

On the night, the film makers will also be in attendance.

There will also be an interactive Q&A style session with a panel of knowledgeable koala experts.

Raffles, door prizes and more.

The event is family friendly. 

Kindly welcomes donations of dog or cat food to be brought along on the night.

We look forward to seeing you.

Kindly Animal Sanctuary 

Parents and Friends Meeting

You’re invited to our Parents and Friends meeting on August 7, 2024, at 6 PM in the W.H. Lee Room, Akaroa Building.

This is a great chance to catch up, chat about important updates, and plan upcoming events that benefit our school community. Your input is really valuable as we work together to support your child(ren) and make our school a positive place.

One of the main things we’ll discuss is our NEGS Community Trivia Night on September 7.

Ella Kenny, our Head of Sport, will also be there to introduce herself and share what she’s focusing on right now.

You can join the meeting in two ways:

In-Person:

Location: W.H. Lee Room, Akaroa Building

Time: 6 PM

or online

ZOOM LINK FOR MEETING: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82362498753

Trivia Night

Get ready for a great night. On Saturday 7 September, come along and enjoy being part of the NEGS community, meet other parents and test your trivia knowledge. 

We hope to have all year groups from Pre-K to Year 12 represented. Either form your table of 8 to 10 parents or you will be seated with other parents from you child's year.

Tickets will go on sale next week.

Ms Fiona Macarthur

P and F President

Headspace Armidale have launched regular newsletters for community. We will be sharing these to schools, on socials, on our website, to organisations and have copies printed out in our reception.

https://headspace.org.au/assets/Uploads/Centres/Armidale/headspace-Armidale-July-Newsletter.pdf